I particularly enjoyed the documentary style of presentation with the little "interviews" with other characters in the movie. The open cheerfulness of the main human character during the first hour of the movie really put a surreal feel to what was occurring on screen. I definitely loved the power armor battle at the end of the movie, especially the pig ammo.

I felt it was mediocre. The "fluid" phlebotinum bothered me. Really, the same substance powers your ships and mutates humans into your species? The plot also took a dive at the end when the prawn says he is heading back to his home planet. It's fine that the events which brought the prawn to earth are unexplained, but all of the sudden they can return? Now the audience needs an explanation.

The film didn't know what it wanted to be. Gore was used to highlight the horror of both the main character's and the aliens' plight, but then the movie attempts to splice in comedy (poorly done) which undermines that effect. The use of gore to convey horror was also undermined by its overuse for cheap violence to keep LCDs interested.

Well the fluid isn't any different from water (keeps us alive and is used to cool machinery). My guess is that the fluid is produced by another caste of their race, perhaps it's their version royal jelly and their queen died in whatever event brought them to Earth.

As for their sudden ability to go back didn't it say in the movie that it took them 20 years to collect enough of the fluid to power the drop ship? The humans thought the ship only had "workers" left, but obviously Christopher was the only surviving member of the leadership caste. He tasked the others to scavenge parts during the 20 years to repair the ship, but wasn't specific on how they get them hence the high crime rate.

Well the fluid isn't any different from water (keeps us alive and is used to cool machinery). My guess is that the fluid is produced by another caste of their race, perhaps it's their version royal jelly and their queen died in whatever event brought them to Earth.

Water isn't a complex chemical compound. The analogy is entirely invalid. The fluid didn't perform a simple task like cooling, it was a key magical element that made the ship go. Water also doesn't cause profound genetic mutations. It would be like drinking gasoline turning you into a transformer. It was completely nonsensical.

Shaowstrike wrote:

As for their sudden ability to go back didn't it say in the movie that it took them 20 years to collect enough of the fluid to power the drop ship? The humans thought the ship only had "workers" left, but obviously Christopher was the only surviving member of the leadership caste. He tasked the others to scavenge parts during the 20 years to repair the ship, but wasn't specific on how they get them hence the high crime rate.

That isn't what I mean. Something caused them to leave their world in the first place. Maybe it was a war. Maybe it was a plague. Maybe the prawn in the ship were being oppressed. The condition the prawn arrived in tells the audience something horrible happened. Now, all of the sudden, the horrible thing that caused them to leave has apparently disappeared and it is perfectly safe for prawn to return. Some sort of explanation is needed there.

Something came to mind while I was off in dream land a bit ago. The liquid... it was never said what it was, just it took them 20 years to gather enough to fire up that flier. The Prawn's weaponry only worked for them. So what if this liquid is some high quality-super pumped-DNA-liquid that is in ALL their tech so any Prawn could use it? Chris was harvesting what he could, as it looked like it had to go through a system to be used by the flier.

On the super-hero level, it could have been radioactive-ish and when the man got a face shot, it Spider-man'ed his DNA.

I saw this earlier and I really enjoyed it. There were some things that didn't make sense, like why Chris was going back home to get help when it was implied that the prawn were refugees in the first place, or why rocket fuel has mutagenic properties and can turn a human into a prawn though simple skin contact, but that didn't really detract much from the movie over all. I mean come on, it had a decent story and special effects, aliens, explosions, blood, exploding blood... what more do you really want?

On a side note, this would also make a totally kick *** video game if done right. Doesn't even matter which side you play as. It would be awesome either way.

Second side note, was anyone else thinking of NieA_7 when they saw this, or is it just me?

I was fine accepting the whole fuel turning Wikus into an alien thing because their weapons were operated biologically. So the fuel that powered their devices was most likely some biological substance as well, since it needed to react with the DNA of the prawns. So when it reacted with Wikus' DNA, things got pretty messy, but the process was still reversible.

Also, I took the reason why they got stuck on Earth in the first place to be simply that they "ran of gas". Chris then detached the control unit, which was hiding under his shack, and took the time on Earth to salvage enough fluid to create the fuel necessary to fly the ship back home.

As for why he returned home in the first place, he said that before MNU showed up at his house. He was originally going to use it to save Wikus; but, when he saw that MNU was dissecting and running experiments on his people, he wasn't too happy with it and wanted to save his people from that kind of treatment. He returned back home to stock up on fuel and most likely bring a couple ships back to save his people. (They had multiplied since they arrived on Earth... They were there for 20 years...)

As for the movie itself, I loved it. It's been a pretty good year for sci-fi so far. =)

I saw it last night, and have to say I was glad I went to see it in the theater. In my opinion, there aren't enough good, creative films like this these days and it seems rare to find good Sci-Fi movies with a good, imaginative, unbroken plot that isn't some reboot of a previously heralded IP or outlandish absurdity. I thought it was original, fun, and well put together...despite the few flaws it had. Considering there were no brand name actors and primarily viral marketing for the film, I went in with little hype and just a desire to "see" it...and left absolutely hoping they do a second film.

I think for the most part, Chris's reaction to the tests being done on his species was the primary deciding factor in returning to their planet and coming back to save his people.

And the logical answer to the fluid is what was already mentioned, it's a genetic-based liquid that interacts with the Prawn DNA. If you remember the Bio-suit Wikis uses, it seems to somewhat "fuse" with the controller on a genetic level to some extent...so it seems a lot of the technology in the movie is genetic-based, and would make sense that their "ships" would also employ similar technology (remember him having to put his hands "into" a elastic liquid to control the flyer?).

Edit: Typo for clarity

Edited, Aug 18th 2009 8:19am by Ryneguy

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Common sense is not so common -VoltaireWyne Aeros - Hyperion ServerARRFishing.com

I think for the most part, Chris's reaction to the tests being done on his species was the primary deciding factor in returning to their planet and coming back to save his people.

Again, it makes sense why he would want to go back; it doesn't make sense as to why he can go back. The film hints a some type of disaster that occurred for the prawn. Maybe a plague, maybe a war, maybe oppression. Something really bad happened that forced all these prawn to leave their world and maKe it to earth in horribly condition, and now they're able to return? Poorly written.

Ryneguy wrote:

And the logical answer to the fluid is what was already mentioned, it's a genetic-based liquid that interacts with the Prawn DNA. If you remember the Bio-suit Wikis uses, it seems to somewhat "fuse" with the controller on a genetic level to some extent...so it seems a lot of the technology in the movie is genetic-based, and would make sense that their "ships" would also employ similar technology (remember him having to put his hands "into" a elastic liquid to control the flyer?).

That doesn't make sense at all. The presence of a live prawn should already be sufficient to activate there ship technology. Even if the fluid was highly concentrated prawn DNA, which is a ridiculous thing for it to be, that doesn't explain the mutation. I can't just inject dog DNA into my body and become a dog. In order for the main character to mutate into a prawn it would require a substance specifically designed to mutate humans into prawn. This is exactly like a nuclear submarines core melting down and mutating a person to have submarine powers instead of just killing them, this is exactly what is occurring. Fluid is giving radioactive superpowers. It is a magical plot-forcing substance.

I don't think they ever said that the prawn originally came from their home world, as far as we know it could have been a deep-space exploration mission gone horribly wrong. If you consider the 3 years before being able to cure Wikus it's a year and a half trip to the home world and back from Earth, even with advanced transportation tech that counts as a deep-space trip.

I don't think they ever said that the prawn originally came from their home world, as far as we know it could have been a deep-space exploration mission gone horribly wrong. If you consider the 3 years before being able to cure Wikus it's a year and a half trip to the home world and back from Earth, even with advanced transportation tech that counts as a deep-space trip.

Right, it's never explained "why" they were there. It seems more that something went wrong, but it's not explained, which I think the "telling" of what happened being left out might have been deliberate to fuel future content for possible sequel script(s).

Allegory wrote:

That doesn't make sense at all. The presence of a live prawn should already be sufficient to activate there ship technology. Even if the fluid was highly concentrated prawn DNA, which is a ridiculous thing for it to be, that doesn't explain the mutation. I can't just inject dog DNA into my body and become a dog. In order for the main character to mutate into a prawn it would require a substance specifically designed to mutate humans into prawn. This is exactly like a nuclear submarines core melting down and mutating a person to have submarine powers instead of just killing them, this is exactly what is occurring. Fluid is giving radioactive superpowers. It is a magical plot-forcing substance.

Let's imagine for a moment that the fluid used to power the ship was a concentrated DNA-based liquid similar to the fluid used in their weapons to allow activation. If the fluid itself was DNA-based and reacts on a genetic level with beings other than the Prawns (since the Prawns obviously wouldn't be affected from their own genetic material)...it doesn't sound so outlandish to me. Then again, we're talking about Aliens dubbed "Prawns" and genetically coded weapons & vehicles here. You have to suspend disbelief on some level to even consider it.

Also, it's not explained "how" it interacted with human DNA, nor is the "cure" explained...but it is stated that it can be done. Again, it's not poorly written or thought out, it's just not explained in detail. But the fact the fluid is genetic in nature, and they state that he's the "first human to survive the metamorphasis" which suggests it's not the first time Human/Prawn genetic combination, is enough to outline the possibility so that it's not utterly random and absurd due to no logical basis.

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Common sense is not so common -VoltaireWyne Aeros - Hyperion ServerARRFishing.com

That doesn't make sense at all. The presence of a live prawn should already be sufficient to activate there ship technology. Even if the fluid was highly concentrated prawn DNA, which is a ridiculous thing for it to be, that doesn't explain the mutation. I can't just inject dog DNA into my body and become a dog. In order for the main character to mutate into a prawn it would require a substance specifically designed to mutate humans into prawn. This is exactly like a nuclear submarines core melting down and mutating a person to have submarine powers instead of just killing them, this is exactly what is occurring. Fluid is giving radioactive superpowers. It is a magical plot-forcing substance.

The only thing that doesn't make sense is you comparing human science to alien technology.

The open cheerfulness of the main human character during the first hour of the movie really put a surreal feel to what was occurring on screen.

QFT. Also loved the documentary cutscenes; I can't put my finger on what exactly I liked about that technique, but I do (I also enjoyed Cloverfield for much the same reason). Maybe it's 'cause it makes it seem a bit more real...

While I'd love a sequel, I'd be afraid of another "Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2," or "The Chronicles of Riddick." The style and feel of District 9 is so unique that an attempt to replicate it could end up contrived or repetitive.

The overtones of racism and concentration camps was, I felt, very well done. I don't think this movie could have worked without it...

Edited, Aug 21st 2009 4:58pm by Rykhorne

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"Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten." ~ G.K. Chesterton

The only thing that doesn't make sense is you comparing human science to alien technology.

It's fictional technology, not magic. The fluid is plotonium, plain and simple. People who disagree with that statement are the same people who believe radioactive spider bites give people mutant spider powers instead of itches or cancer.

It's fictional technology, not magic. The fluid is plotonium, plain and simple. People who disagree with that statement are the same people who believe radioactive spider bites give people mutant spider powers instead of itches or cancer.

Exactly, it's fictional technology. Fictional ALIEN technology. You're trying to rationalize and restrain a movies concept based on the logic and facts of HUMAN REALITY.

Just because something works one way here in real life earth, doesn't mean it works the same way in fictional prawn world.

Exactly, it's fictional technology. Fictional ALIEN technology. You're trying to rationalize and restrain a movies concept based on the logic and facts of HUMAN REALITY.

Yes, technology, not bloody magic. I take it you are very much not familiar with the idea of hard and soft science fiction, internal consistency, or common literary pitfalls. This is just a lost cause.

Fictional worlds establish rules, explicitly or implicitly stated. Sometimes--due to poor writing--fictional worlds break their own rules, defy their own rationale, or spontaneously introduce new and inconsistent elements.

For example. District 9 takes place approximately in the the near future. The earth's technology in the movie is about comparable to our own. Seeing people fly in helicopters is consistent with the time period and technology level the movie has established for humans, consistent with the rules. Seeing people flying around in hover cars or jet packs is, while still a fictional element in a fictional movie, not consistent with the technology level the movie has establish for humans.

The movie is attempting to be fairly hard science fiction. Technology isn't so much magical as it is advanced in District 9. Heroes, the American tv series, is an example of soft science fiction where a genetic mutation can allow a person to manipulate time and space.

Being harder science fiction, the idea that a "fluid" designed to operate alien technology could do something as improbable as mutate a person into an alien breaches the hard science reality the movie has established. Shooting myself up with dog dna, sleeping in a dog bed, or doing other dog related stuff doesn't turn me into a dog. Specific, controlled mutations as an unintended consequence of an accidentally administered substance are inconsistent with the hard science the movie has tried to establish. The movie doesn't allow for for this to be a realistic possibility.

This is a common mistake in fictional stories. Authors do not take time to carefully plan the story universe out before they begin writing, so new elements are introduced seemingly spontaneously into stories without developing them cohesively into the universe. The writer wants to get the story somewhere, but hasn't adequately planned a route to take it there.

This is a common mistake in fictional stories. Authors do not take time to carefully plan the story universe out before they begin writing, so new elements are introduced seemingly spontaneously into stories without developing them cohesively into the universe. The writer wants to get the story somewhere, but hasn't adequately planned a route to take it there.

I haven't watched the movie yet, but I have a solution.

A wizardNanomachines did it. It's the go to for any sci fi writer who can't explain something. A wizardNanomachines can do ANYTHING if you believe.

For example. District 9 takes place approximately in the the near future. The earth's technology in the movie is about comparable to our own. Seeing people fly in helicopters is consistent with the time period and technology level the movie has established for humans, consistent with the rules. Seeing people flying around in hover cars or jet packs is, while still a fictional element in a fictional movie, not consistent with the technology level the movie has establish for humans

You're still comparing things to our technology. That liquid wasn't made by humans. It was a fuel that was invented on their planet. On Earth it wouldn't make sense, but perhaps where they come from the logic is perfectly sound, especially given that all of their tech seems to involve their DNA.

Yes, technology, not bloody magic. I take it you are very much not familiar with the idea of hard and soft science fiction, internal consistency, or common literary pitfalls. This is just a lost cause.

And then there's Clarke's law:

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Just because there is no logical explanation behind the technology that you can see, doesn't mean it's not technology.

Being harder science fiction, the idea that a "fluid" designed to operate alien technology could do something as improbable as mutate a person into an alien breaches the hard science reality the movie has established. Shooting myself up with dog dna, sleeping in a dog bed, or doing other dog related stuff doesn't turn me into a dog. Specific, controlled mutations as an unintended consequence of an accidentally administered substance are inconsistent with the hard science the movie has tried to establish. The movie doesn't allow for for this to be a realistic possibility.

It's not a man-made fluid, it's an alien-made fluid. Who's to say the fluid isn't made out of something similar to the HIV virus, where instead of taking over T-cells and eventually destroying the immune system it hijacks all your cells and mutates your dna to match theirs?

Normally I wouldn't argue with Allegory (he's too good at it) but I'm gonna have to go with the other poster in their back-and-forth.

Allegory has used the 'Dog DNA' analogy twice now, and I see where it's coming from. But as someone else has said, it's alien tech.

On the Prawn planet it doesn't follow Earth rules. Earth rule - putting some vehicle gas into a dog wont make it human. It'll make it sick. Prawn rule - putting vehicle gas into a dog (or at least a human) will make it into a Prawn.

Like they said in the movie, Prawn's (workers at least) have no understanding of ownership and respect, at least in the beginning. They would steal cell phones and blow up other people's cars for fun. Obviously rules are different there. Well, so are the physical/universal rules. Whatever substance they use for gas interferes with other races. Or maybe they specifically designed a gas that would do that so if any other race tried to steal their ships they would become Prawns.

I'll also have to pitch in for the 'why' argument. Allegory has said that there must have been some kind of disaster to make them come here. What if something happened on the way? They're exploring/whatever and something happens, they de-activate their stealth systems and make haste to the nearest planet - Earth.

Or maybe one of their newly established colonies was attacked and they had to flee, and Earth was closer than the Homeworld.

And as for the detached, smaller ship under Chris' shack, someone mentioned it could be the core of the mothership. Makes sense I suppose, but it doesn't have to be the heart. Chris (maybe the pilot or the leader of the ship) or someone else jettisoned it down to save it for later, when they could use it to return to the mothership with the fuel, it wasn't really necessary to flying away.

On the Prawn planet it doesn't follow Earth rules. Earth rule - putting some vehicle gas into a dog wont make it human. It'll make it sick. Prawn rule - putting vehicle gas into a dog (or at least a human) will make it into a Prawn.

Prawn technology is alien technology, but physics are the same here on earths as they are on prawn world in the movie. It's advanced technology, not magic.

We can all agree that the fluid is designed to operate (or facilitate operating) prawn technology yes? It was not originally designed to mutate humans into aliens; we can all agree on that as well right?

Stable, controlled mutations are very difficult to achieve, whether you're alien or human in the District 9 universe. They cannot be realistically achieved accidentally. Typically if a substance mutates your cells, and it wasn't explicitly designed to mutate them in a very specific way, then your DNA would fudge up. You might start growing an arm from your chest, your t cells might reject your organs, or something else very unstable would occur.

What you're seeing here is the equivalent of tossing a bunch of stones up into the air and them landing on the ground in such a way as to spell "LOL." It's possible, but incredibly unlikely. In order to spell "LOL" on the ground with stones someone would usually have to deliberately place or aim them to achieve that exact result. What is the likelihood of an accident creating such a pattern?

Monsieur CestinShaman wrote:

I'll also have to pitch in for the 'why' argument. Allegory has said that there must have been some kind of disaster to make them come here. What if something happened on the way? They're exploring/whatever and something happens, they de-activate their stealth systems and make haste to the nearest planet - Earth.

That is fairly possible, though I believe they're choosing to stay here after the arrived at earth, since the ship was fully capable of returning, leans in favor of a reason for evacuation. Still the problem isn't that there couldn't be a reason for their ability to return to make sense, but that there wasn't any reason hinted at to explain the situation. This isn't an inconsistency, but it is poor writing.

And as for the detached, smaller ship under Chris' shack, someone mentioned it could be the core of the mothership. Makes sense I suppose, but it doesn't have to be the heart. Chris (maybe the pilot or the leader of the ship) or someone else jettisoned it down to save it for later, when they could use it to return to the mothership with the fuel, it wasn't really necessary to flying away.

If it wasn't the core then it was at least the secondary bridge since through the smaller ship CJ was able to give the signal for all higher-level prawn tech in the immediate area to reactivate, including the mothership as well as the power armor.

We can all agree that the fluid is designed to operate (or facilitate operating) prawn technology yes? It was not originally designed to mutate humans into aliens; we can all agree on that as well right?

Why would we think that? As soon as Chris saw what happened to the human (forgot his name), he knew exactly what had happened, and he knew it was the fluid. We don't know if the aliens had any intention or not of mutating humans. Their main objective was to gather enough liquid to power the spacecraft, and since it took 20 years to do that, mutating humans was probably not at the top of the list. But if there had been more of the liquid, well maybe they might have used it against humans.

Why would we think that? As soon as Chris saw what happened to the human (forgot his name), he knew exactly what had happened, and he knew it was the fluid. We don't know if the aliens had any intention or not of mutating humans. Their main objective was to gather enough liquid to power the spacecraft, and since it took 20 years to do that, mutating humans was probably not at the top of the list. But if there had been more of the liquid, well maybe they might have used it against humans.

That isn't the problem, the problem is that something that was designed to be a fuel or pwoer scource also happens to mutate humans.

"Hey alien scientists. We need a fuel that is light, compact, highly stable, and sustain a ship for long flights. Also can you make it turn aliens species into prawn?"

Seee the issue? When alien scientists were designing the fluid, their only probable intent was for it to operate alien technology. Designing it for the dual purpose to operate alien technology and mutate humans is ridiculous, which means the mutating humans part was accidental, which is also ridiculous.

Why is it so hard to see that the movie just stuck out its middle finger and said "Because I said so b*tch." That's what happened.[/spoiler]

Deadgye wrote:

THIS IS A MOVIE, THEY GET TO HAVE INCREDIBLY UNLIKELY THINGS HAPPEN.

And that is called bad writing. When things occur in a plot for no reason, make no sense, or are inconsistent with other elements you have deus ex machina or plotonium.

There are elements to like about District 9; the plot isn't one of them.

It could be possible that the mutation was an unexpected (or at least improbable) side effect. If you remember, the droplets were filtered through a reddish liquid, could that have been modified human DNA? Something Chris altered to pep up the fuel, or perhaps to try to turn a human subject into a Prawn gas pump. That would at least explain his less than surprised reaction to the mutation.

Wikus van de Merw was a seriously f'd up guy at the beginning of the film. He actually gets off on hearing prawn eggs cook off in a fire he directed to be set (pop pop pop pop just like the popcorn), I almost expected to hear him mention plans for a holocaust or something.

His rapid turnaround almost reminded me of SouthPark's "Ginger Horror."

Water isn't a complex chemical compound. The analogy is entirely invalid. The fluid didn't perform a simple task like cooling, it was a key magical element that made the ship go. Water also doesn't cause profound genetic mutations. It would be like drinking gasoline turning you into a transformer. It was completely nonsensical.

Try tightly coiled geneseed wrapped around a radioactive core. It would necessarily be a high-energy product, such that it could be used as fuel, as well as an effective bio-transmuter, by effectively launching genetic fragments into the other organisms while simultaneously breaking down their original structure. In addition, if it's development was the result of bioengineering rather than mechanical, then it is very likely that geneseed would be introduced since it would be part of the organism. You'd just need to develop an organ that would ingest material, process it, and toss out a radioactive slurry. It would be akin to bioengineering natural human oils to be produced in a higher quantity and quality in order to create synthetic combustible fuel (Just move the technological gradient upwards).

This could likely work, but I doubt their writers would have half an idea of what was going on.

There was a ton of non-realistic sh*t in that movie, Allegory, so I'm not sure why you're focusing on just the mutagenic ship fuel. How about the fact that the aliens just happen to be perfectly physically adapted to Earth's gravity level and atmospheric composition? Their absurd love for cat food? I disagree with your assertion that this movie was meant to be "hard" science fiction, despite the somewhat realistic documentary style it was shot in. Much of the movie requires a fairly high level of suspension of disbelief, not that that's always a bad thing.

I thought that the movie was good but not great. I really liked the original plot and the fact that they used all no-name South African actors, but the Apartheid/racism analogy seemed a bit forced at times and most of the military and government officials were basically just walking stereotypes. And the part where the government was conducting secret experiments on the aliens... gee, never saw that coming.

Overall it was pretty entertaining and I'm glad I saw it, but it wasn't the kind of movie that really stuck with me after I left the theater.

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Nobby wrote:

First off, calling the Nobel Peace Prize 'political' is like calling water 'wet' - The Nobel Peace Prize is and always was an opportunity for the reformed vikings to prove that they like warmth and fuzziness and have turned their backs on raping sheep in Yorkshire at axe point.

There was a ton of non-realistic sh*t in that movie, Allegory, so I'm not sure why you're focusing on just the mutagenic ship fuel. How about the fact that the aliens just happen to be perfectly physically adapted to Earth's gravity level and atmospheric composition? Their absurd love for cat food? I disagree with your assertion that this movie was meant to be "hard" science fiction, despite the somewhat realistic documentary style it was shot in. Much of the movie requires a fairly high level of suspension of disbelief, not that that's always a bad thing.

I'm focusing on it as an example. Some people here are adamantly intent on believing there is nothing unrealistic (as qualified many times) or inconsistent in this movie. I picked two examples that happened to scream out at me. They certainly aren't the only flaws, just the ones I'm attempting to convince others exist. I was silly to attempt to continue this argument for so long.

kylen wrote:

Overall it was pretty entertaining and I'm glad I saw it, but it wasn't the kind of movie that really stuck with me after I left the theater.

Similar to my feelings. I don't feel I wasted money. I never thought about walking out. I enjoyed it, but I can separate my enjoyment both either liking or believing a film is good. District 9 can be an enjoyable film, but it is not a very good one.

If you remember, the droplets were filtered through a reddish liquid, could that have been modified human DNA? Something Chris altered to pep up the fuel, or perhaps to try to turn a human subject into a Prawn gas pump. That would at least explain his less than surprised reaction to the mutation.

That's an interesting thought. It wasn't that the fluid itself would have done it normally, but that something else he used in conjunction with the fluid refinement process did it. Otherwise, one would imagine that the scientists working on studying alien tech would have come across some of the original fluid and been exposed. Maybe the fluid they need to power the ship is a different form than what they get from their own tech, but they can modify it with retrovirus type tech(or nanites) to be what they need.

Quote:

I'll also have to pitch in for the 'why' argument. Allegory has said that there must have been some kind of disaster to make them come here. What if something happened on the way? They're exploring/whatever and something happens, they de-activate their stealth systems and make haste to the nearest planet - Earth.

That's pretty much how I interpreted it from the beginning. They were out in space doing something, be it exploration, colonization, invasion, whatever, and something bad happened. Most of the leadership caste was killed. So they headed to the nearest planet that could support their life, which happened to be ours. Maybe it wasn't perfect, but they could survive the gravity and atmosphere. A command pod that was malfunctioning had to be detached, but they forgot to fill it with fuel first, so it crashed to the ground. The people inside, last of the leadership, work on fixing it, and fix it pretty quickly. However, they didn't have any way to get it back up to the main ship, ****, couldn't even power it on without some fuel. So the workers left on the main ship, having exhausted their food supply and with the system that recycles waste into food to extend rations malfunctioning, start dying to starvation, and are found by the humans in such a state when they decide to enter the ship.

The workers are dumb and cause a few incidents with the locals. The remaining leadership caste members become wary of humans due to retaliation and decide to try to salvage this fluid they need instead of asking the humans to help them secure some more from in the ship.

[quote]I'll also have to pitch in for the 'why' argument. Allegory has said that there must have been some kind of disaster to make them come here. What if something happened on the way? They're exploring/whatever and something happens, they de-activate their stealth systems and make haste to the nearest planet - Earth.

That's pretty much how I interpreted it from the beginning. They were out in space doing something, be it exploration, colonization, invasion, whatever, and something bad happened. Most of the leadership caste was killed. So they headed to the nearest planet that could support their life, which happened to be ours. Maybe it wasn't perfect, but they could survive the gravity and atmosphere. A command pod that was malfunctioning had to be detached, but they forgot to fill it with fuel first, so it crashed to the ground. The people inside, last of the leadership, work on fixing it, and fix it pretty quickly. However, they didn't have any way to get it back up to the main ship, ****, couldn't even power it on without some fuel. So the workers left on the main ship, having exhausted their food supply and with the system that recycles waste into food to extend rations malfunctioning, start dying to starvation, and are found by the humans in such a state when they decide to enter the ship.

The workers are dumb and cause a few incidents with the locals. The remaining leadership caste members become wary of humans due to retaliation and decide to try to salvage this fluid they need instead of asking the humans to help them secure some more from in the ship.

I would agree with this synopsis, seems to make the most sense.

Not much information about the whole why and who is given at all in the movie, not really a problem, but it does leave a lot of room for discussions. I do wonder how the prawns will return in 3 years, to take revenge or just to get the survivors back?

I doubt a sequel would work, it's just not necessary too. We know he's mutated completely, but has retained his human emotions and in a couple of years the prawns will be back.

It was unfortunately those stereotypes used in the movie though, humans are completely unwilling to to accept something that is alien to them, favouring abusing them and trying to get all the technology they can off of them and then just kill them.